Bennett Mechanical Comprehension Test …

1 Bennett Mechanical Comprehension Test frequently asked Questions December 2005 Update 1 Question: What process did Harcourt use to create the new norms? Answer: The updated norms were created using a national database of Bennett Mechanical Comprehension Test results. The data were collected from 2003-2005 via the internet-delivered administration of the Bennett Mechanical Comprehension Test on Question: What's different in the new norms? Answer: The updated norm groups are provided by industry and occupation. The groups provided are based on the industries and occupations in which the Bennett Mechanical Comprehension Test is most frequently used. Below is a list of the 10 new norm groups.

2 More detailed information on each norm group is available by viewing the Bennett Mechanical Norm Group Descriptions document available on the Bennett Mechanical Comprehension Test product description page. The file is available for viewing or printing using Adobe Acrobat. Occupation Automotive Mechanic Engineer Installation/Maintenance/Repair Industrial/Technical Sales Representative (non-retail) Skilled Tradesperson ( , electrician, welder, carpenter) Transportation Trades/Equipment Operator ( , truck driver, heavy equipment operator) Combined Occupations Mechanical Trades ( , mechanic, installation/maintenance/repair, electrician, welder, carpenter) Automotive and Aircraft Mechanic Industry Manufacturing/Production Energy/Utilities Question: Have any new reliability and validity studies been conducted?

3 Answer: An updated Bennett Mechanical Comprehension Test Manual (available April, 2006) will provide new studies describing internal consistency and test-retest reliability. In addition, new studies describing convergent and criterion-related validity, including studies relating Bennett Mechanical Comprehension Test scores to job success criteria ( , job performance ratings) will be provided in the updated manual. Question: How should I transition from the set of norms I have been using to the updated norms? Answer: If you are already making hiring or promotion decisions for a group of applicants using an old norm group, you will probably want to continue using the Bennett Mechanical Comprehension Test frequently asked Questions December 2005 Update 2 old norm group until there is an appropriate time to make the transition.

4 An example of an appropriate time would be when you have already made a hiring decision for a specific position, and will be testing a new group of applicants for another open position. Question: Can I compare candidates who have scores based on the old norms against those who have scores based on the new norms? Answer: This type of comparison is not recommended. If you have already given the Bennett Mechanical Comprehension Test to a group of applicants using the old norms and you plan to test additional applicants for the same position, you will need to use a common comparison group ( , the old norm group) for the entire group of applicants. Question: What if I have already determined an appropriate cut-score based on the old norm group?

5 Answer: The old norms are available on this site for your reference. You will probably want to compare the new norms with the old norms when adjusting your cut score or deciding to maintain your current cut score. Many factors will influence the decision to adjust or continue with the same cut score ( , situational factors such as the need to keep jobs filled and the supply of talent in the local labor market). For example, if you have been using the 50th percentile as the cut score and the new norm group requires a higher raw score to obtain the 50th percentile, you will eliminate more candidates than you did with the old norm group. Question: What if I have already collected local norms?

6 Answer: If you have local norms, you can continue to use the raw score printed on the report and convert the score using your local norms look-up table as you have been doing. No changes have been made to the test content or scoring, so your local norms are still appropriate. Question: Why should I use the new norms? Answer: The updated norms are based on data collected nationally and across different organizations. Therefore, the norms are more likely to be representative of most organizations. The updated norms are also based on individuals that are currently or recently employed in the occupation or industry specified. Thus, the percentiles are more reflective of the ability of employees who are working in the specified occupation or industry, rather than applicants who may or may not be qualified to work in the specified occupation or industry.

7 Question: What should I do if there is not a new norm group that is similar to the norm group I have been using? Answer: Although the old norms are not available in the new online reports, a table of the old norms is available on this site for reference purposes. Using the raw score provided on the report, you can obtain the corresponding percentile from the old norm group in the table. Bennett Mechanical Comprehension Test frequently asked Questions December 2005 Update 3 Question: How do I access the old norms? Answer: The old norms are available on the Bennett Mechanical Comprehension Test product description page. The file is available for viewing or printing using Adobe Acrobat.

8 Question: What will happen to my already Assigned Bennett Mechanical Comprehension Test assessments once the new report and ordering capability is made available? Answer: Once Test Takers complete any already Assigned Bennett Mechanical Comprehension Test assessments, a report will be generated using the previous norm group data tables and report text. Question: What will happen to my already Active and Expired Bennett Mechanical Comprehension Test assessments once the new report and ordering capability is made available? Answer: Once Test Takers complete any Active Bennett Mechanical Comprehension Test assessments, a report will be scored and generated using the previous norm groups and report text.

9 Likewise, if an Expired Bennett Mechanical Comprehension Test assessment is reactivated following the availability of the new report and ordering process, the prior norm group scoring tables and report text will be used for scoring and generation of the report. Question: What will happen to my Ordered quantity of Bennett Mechanical Comprehension Test assessments once the new report and ordering capability is made available? Answer: Any Bennett Mechanical Comprehension Test credits displayed in the Ordered column shown on the Current Status screen can be assigned to Test Takers and the updated norm data tables and report text will be used to generate the subsequent report. Question: After submitting my order of the Bennett Mechanical Comprehension Test at the Ordered tests screen, I received the following error: Error assigning tests .

10 You only have XX (number) tests of that type available to assign. Return to Current Status page. What does this mean? Answer: This means that an attempt was made to order a norm group report quantity that exceeded the quantity available. To remedy this, more Bennett Mechanical Comprehension Test reports must be ordered first by clicking on the Order link and then proceeding with the regular ordering process. Question: How do I generate a second report using a different norm group for a Test Taker who has previously taken the assessment and for whom a report was already generated? Bennett Mechanical Comprehension Test frequently asked Questions December 2005 Update 4 Answer: First, go to the Completed tests screen and search for the Tester ID associated with the Test Taker for whom you want to run another norm group report.